Cheng Lixue left after a puzzling admission of defeat, leaving the cultivators utterly confused and dissatisfied.

It was already pretty crappy for a fierce battle someone was engrossed in to suddenly stop mid-way. To make things worse, Chen Lixue, whom they had all placed their hopes in, had conceded and left!

This was simply unacceptable.

"Damnit, I’m such a blind fool. Why did I keep supporting Cheng Lixue? I never expected that he wouldn’t even have the courage to fight till the end."

"Ugh, how disappointing. I never expected that he would be such a person!"

Complaints rang out one after another.

However, the sharper individuals in the crowd knew that even if the battle continued, Cheng Lixue had no hope of winning.

Because although Lin Xun had shown nothing from start to end, there was not even the slightest indication of him being pushed back.

On the other hand, Cheng Lixue had been unable to do anything despite his rising aura, which showed just how much more terrifying Lin Xun was.

As such, choosing to admit defeat and leave was instead a wise decision on Cheng Lixue’s part. At the very least, the damage to his reputation wouldn’t be as bad.

If he were defeated, there was no doubt that his reputation would hit rock bottom and he would become a loser in everyone’s eyes. This would be a very dire consequence.

"What a shame…"

In the arena, Lin Xun was feeling a sensation of helplessness. It had not been easy to meet such a decent opponent. Hence, suddenly having that opponent admit defeat and withdraw inevitably made him feel a little depressed.

It must be known that he had been suppressing his strength in the battle earlier, worried that the opponent would be scared off if he showed too much of his power.

However, it was evident that despite suppressing his power, Cheng Lixue was still able to perceive the gap between them and decisively chose to withdraw.

"Thankfully, I’ve roughly understood the essence of Yazi’s Rage. All that’s left is to polish it in real battle."

Lin Xun thought as he walked off the stage.

"Hmph!"

Xia Xiaochong snorted, bewildering Lin Xun. He asked, "Is there a problem with your nose? Should we ask a medical cultivator to have a look?"

"Hmph!"

Xia Xiaochong glared at him with her large clear eyes and angrily said, "Big Brother Lin Xun, you’re really stupid. Can’t you tell that I’m angry? Cheng Lixue was so disappointing. I was looking so forward to see him defeat you, but who could have anticipated that...”

Lin Xun whacked her on the head before she could finish.

"Come with me."

He didn’t wish to stay any longer after defeating Cheng Lixue and planned to collect his reward and leave.

He felt a slight rush thinking about the reward. He had won forty consecutive duels today and was going to receive ten times the reward plus an additional one hundred mid-grade aeth essences. It was a generous haul!

The attendant, Dong Ba, hesitantly asked, "Young Master, are you not continuing?"

They were in a hall in the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena where the rewards were received. When Lin Xun went to collect his reward, however, some complications cropped up.

"Nope, it’s meaningless to continue."

Lin Xun was being honest. Although he needed aeth essence, it was too boring without a decent opponent. In addition, it wasn’t helping him polish his martial dao.

"Young Master, there might be a problem.” Dong Ba had an awkward expression.

"What’s the problem?"

Lin Xun raised his eyebrows, realizing that something was wrong, "Could it be that you guys are trying to renege on the payment?"

Dong Ba displayed an increasingly embarrassed and awkward expression, "Young Master, you are currently the most dazzling expert of our Silver Pheasant Martial Arena. Won’t it be regretful if you leave like this?"

"Cut the bullshit.” Lin Xun's black eyes turned cold, "Tell me, are you guys planning on reneging on the payment if I leave now?"

A tiny wisp of terrifying pressure spread from Lin Xun, causing Dong Ba to tremble as his face paled. Although it was merely a wisp, it made his blood run cold.

"Young Master, calm down. I believe it will be better for me to explain. Dong Ba, you may go, I will take over from here."

A middle-aged man in embroidered robes unhurriedly walked over with his hands behind his back. He was rather fat and had a friendly smile on his face.

After some introductions, Lin Xun found out that the middle-aged man was the manager of the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena. He was also from the Silver Pheasant Clan and was named Dong Hai.

"Young Master, your performance in the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena today has amazed us all. You’re undoubtedly a young heaven pride!"

Dong Hai wore a look of admiration as he buttered up to Lin Xun.

But this only made Lin Xun even more irritable. With an expressionless face, he said, "There’s no need for pleasantries. I only want to ask if you guys are planning on reneging on the payment."

"Reneging?"

Astonished, Dong Hai said, "Young Master, please do not misunderstand. Our Silver Pheasant Martial Arena will never renege on payment. Moreover, how can the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena operate in the Flame Capital if we allow such a thing to happen?"

Lin Xun's black eyes were ice-cold as he silently looked at Dong Hai before he finally said, "Give it to me straight."

He could tell that Dong Hai was an annoying person. He was deliberately beating around the bush and avoiding the main topic, refusing to give an honest reply.

Under Lin Xun’s stare, Dong Hai’s smile immediately receded. He knew that continuing with his nonsense would only anger the young man.

"Young Master, of course you may receive your reward, but could you first make a promise to the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena?"

Dong Hai took a deep breath as his expression turned serious.

Lin Xun smiled. However, it was a very cold smile. "The rewards I won from the duels should be mine. Why do I have to make an additional promise to you people?"

Upon seeing Lin Xun’s unyielding stance, Dong Hai was angered and displayed a fake smile, "Young man, you may be strong but this world is not as simple as you think. I advise you to obediently cooperate with us."

"What if I don’t?” Slivers of iciness surged out from the depths of Lin Xun’s black eyes.

"Hehe, you should know the consequences."

Dong Hai seemed to be unafraid, and there was even a trace of amusement in his eyes. "I only wish to tell you that although you were very dazzling today and caused countless cultivators to be awed and shocked, if you disappear tonight, you’ll no longer be able to see the sunrise tomorrow. Do you think anyone will actually care if you die?"

Although he spoke casually, the threat was clear.

He paused for a moment as the corners of his lips rose to form a cold smile. He stared at Lin Xun and said, "We have already investigated you and know that you are an ‘outsider’ like Cheng Lixue. Do you know how many ‘outsiders’ like you mysteriously disappear every day in the Flame Capital?"

Dong Hai smiled faintly, looking as if he had already won as he lifted his hand to pat Lin Xun’s shoulder.

However, he suddenly stiffened a split second later as if he had been frozen, and his expression changed drastically as he tried to open his mouth to scream.

However, he could not make any noise because a hand had firmly gripped his neck.

Lin Xun, who had remained silent throughout the monologue, revealed a slight smile, displaying his white teeth. He looked at Dong Hai’s red, panicked, and terrified face and said, "Just say it straight if you want to renege on the payment, why do you have to threaten me?"

Dong Hai’s entire body turned cold. He felt as if he was being imprisoned by an invisible force and could not move, which greatly terrified him.

He was a Cyclic Derivation expert! Despite this, he had been subdued by a Heaven Ascension youngster before he could even react.

Lin Xun smiled and asked, "You guys kill those who don’t cooperate with you? Is this how your Silver Pheasant Martial Arena operates?"

A murderous impulse had already risen in his heart.

All he had wanted was to earn some aeth essence. Who could have expected that the other party would not only attempt to renege on the payment but also threaten him? It was simply unethical.

Worst of all, Dong Hai had clearly already planned this for a while. Why else would he have investigated Lin Xun?

Dong Hai obviously thought that an ‘outsider’ like him was easy to bully because he had no backers or power!

Dong Hai’s eyes bulged and veins popped out on his forehead as he began to suffocate. However, he was unable to move no matter how much he struggled.

"You’d best not try to shout or I cannot guarantee that I won’t kill you,” said Lin Xun as he flung Dong Hai.

Thud!

Dong Hai's body was thrown onto the ground. He gasped for breath like a rescued drowning man and looked as if he had just barely escaped death.

"Give me the reward.” Lin Xun lowered his gaze, looking down at him from above.

"Of course!” Dong Hai seemed to have become a completely different person and immediately complied. He quickly fished out a storage pouch and passed it to Lin Xun.

He was terrified. After all, he had nearly died moments ago!

Lin Xun received the pouch and inspected its contents. Upon seeing that the sum was correct, he put it away.

He then gazed at Dong Hai and said, "Although the death penalty can be avoided, there will still be punishment for your crimes. Since you dared to threaten me, you will have to pay a little."

Dong Hai's expression drastically changed as he cried out, "What are you going to do? Do you know that you’re playing with fire? I’m from the Silver Pheasant Clan...AHHHH!"

He screamed before he could finish as he received a brutal kick. His tendons and bones were destroyed, and his cultivation was crippled.

"You...you crippled my cultivation!?” Dong Hai’s expression was filled with resentment. He felt as if he was on the verge of becoming crazy as he trembled uncontrollably.

Lin Xun smiled and said, "The Silver Pheasant Martial Arena will come after me whether I kill you or not. Crippling you is a warning to remind them that they should first weigh the consequences if they want to come after me!"

After which, he kicked Dong Hai unconscious before striding out of the hall. He called to Xia Xiaochong, who was outside, and they began walking out of the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena.

From start to end, Lin Xun’s expression was calm as if nothing had happened.

The guards and attendants were completely unaware that their manager had already been crippled of his cultivation and was lying unconscious in the hall.

It was only fifteen minutes later that Dong Ba’s shriek sounded from the hall, “Oh no! Someone come quickly!"

The unconscious Dong Hai had finally been discovered, triggering chaos in the Silver Pheasant Martial Arena.